1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an apparatus for holding garments. More particularly, this invention relates to an apparatus for holding and preserving the shape of a brassiere, as well as methods of use thereof.
2. Description of Related Art
Devices to hold and display articles of clothing are common and include items such as hangers, mannequins, and display racks. These items can present the garment for display purposes as well as offer a place for storing the garment when the garment is not in use.
One particular type of garment that is occasionally associated with such display items is a woman's brassiere. A woman's brassiere, as is commonly understood, includes a pair of cups connected to one another and a series of straps extending from each of the cups which can be clasped in the back when the brassiere is being worn. Some brassieres also include an underwire to help retain the shape of the cups, while others do not.
Brassieres are occasionally displayed in retail establishments using a mannequin or other display apparatus that is intended to simulate an actual wearer of the brassiere. However, at home, brassieres are often not given the same level of care and may be simply placed in a drawer along with numerous other items. The same is true of brassieres in retail establishments that are not on one of the mannequin displays.
When brassieres are not given proper care during storage, the shape of the cups can be compromised. This can cause the brassiere to exhibit an undesirable appearance when worn or, in extreme cases, render the brassiere unusable altogether. Misshaping of the cup portions of a brassiere often occurs because there is insufficient support provided for the cup during storage and a heavier item that is placed on the brassiere simply deforms the material and/or underwire that provided the cup its shape in the first instance.
Articles exist for maintaining the shape of a brassiere during storage. For example, United States Patent Application No. 2009/0266851 to Perlman et al. provides an article for maintaining the shape of a brassiere that includes two rounded portions, each of which accepts one cup of the brassiere. By way of another example, United States Patent Application No. 2008/0237071 to Campillo et al. provides a protective lingerie case with internal protuberances designed to hold the cups of a brassiere. In addition, U.S. Pat. No. 7,252,573 to Maim provides a frame for maintaining the shape of a brassiere during drying and storage that includes a pair of hemispherically-shaped shells with apertures formed therethrough.
However, these existing articles fail to provide an apparatus that can be used for storing and displaying brassieres in a simple and elegant way and which can be adapted to be used with brassieres of different sizes.